Anas was not the intended target of murder, police reveal

Chief Station Inspector Ahmed Sameeu speaking at a press conference on October 31, 2017. PHOTO / MALDIVES POLICE SERVICE

Farah Ahmed

31 October 2017, MVT 22:24

Maldives Police Service revealed on Tuesday that Mohamed Anas, 25, of Meedhoo, Raa atoll was not the intended victim of the murder that took place at the Litus Service Centre in Male late July.

Anas, who was a captain of a speedboat operated in Raa atoll, was found with 25 stab wounds at the vehicle service centre in the capital on July 31. He was the second person to be killed in less than a week amidst an upsurge of gang violence in the recent months.

Speaking to the press, Chief Station Inspector Ahmed Saamih said that four men from a group of eight had attacked Anas after following him to the service centre on motorbikes.

“The four men on the back of the motorbikes had gotten off and chased Anas in to the garage and they attacked him with a sharp object. Our investigations show that Anas died there, as a result of the injuries he sustained from the attack,” Saamih said.

He said that the four men who physically attacked Anas had immediately gotten back on the motorbikes and left the scene.

All of the eight men who were involved in the murder are now in custody, and their cases have also been forwarded to the state prosecutor, Saamih said.

“We would like to note that Anas was not the intended target of this murder. However, it is still tragic that Anas had to die in an incident where murder was premeditated.”

When asked why the investigation dragged on for three months, Saamih said that the police faced many challenges in apprehending the individuals who were involved, and that it took time to complete the cases for the last two individuals who were arrested in relation to the murder.

The Prosecutor General’s Office have already forwarded charges against six suspects over Anas’ murder.

Three of the suspects are being charged with homicide by sharp force under the Prohibiting Threatening and Possession of Dangerous Weapons and Sharp Objects Act, while the other three are indicted for being accomplices in the crime.

The Juvenile Court had also revealed that a minor of 17-years is also amongst the three who are being charged with Anas’ murder.